Take a couple of minutes to take in the insights into the life and work of the typographer who takes you back to fine craftmenship, the designer who amazes through great detail and the artist who combines forms into invaluable art, Marian Bantjes.

Q: Hello Marian, please tell us something about yourself and your background.

Well, I am Canadian, and I started out in 1983 as a book typesetter, where I was trained on the job in a very traditional and “classical” typesetting style. Then I co-owned a design firm for 9 years, and for the past 4 years I have been doing this thing I do from my home on an island of the West Coast of Canada, near Vancouver. So I don’t have a formal education in design. I went to art school of one year in 1982; I consider myself an art school drop out.

Q: At what point do you consider to have found your own style ?

It started while I still had my design firm, in that the work I did for my own company was very obviously a precursor to the work I do now. But it blossomed in full force in 1993 when I left that company. Having said that my “style” is always evolving, and if you look at my work you can see multiple interests working on a theme. I’m quite happy that my work is quite varied while still personally identifiable. I expect it to change a lot over the next few years.

Q: Which mediums do you enjoy working in the most ?

I work in a number of different media , but I enjoy pen & ink, and vector art (digital) the most.

Q: For Marian Bantjes, how does an idea come to life ?

I am one of those people who usually has an idea just “pop into my head." This is disappointing to people because there’s no “map" to follow. But the idea usually has some reasoning or concept to it … so while I think of myself as largely a visual designer, the visuals have some reason for being the way they do, and this varies from mildly interesting to profoundly brilliant!

Then I’ll sketch and try to get it right, but usually it changes from what’s in my head. It’s not uncommon for me to go from one sketch (maybe two) straight to final (after approval). So I don’t do a lot of exploration or multiple working drawings.

Q: What do you consider to be the most important aspects in your projects ?

Well, it kind of depends on the project, but in general it is very important to me that my work have some kind of structure, logic (both visually and conceptually), that it be intriguing or worth looking at for a long time, or exploring further, and most importantly that it brings some kind of delight or joy to the viewer.

Q: What are the aspects of your professional experience you’re most proud of so far ?

I’m most proud that other people find my work inspirational. That I am able to make things which inspires other people to make new things is really the most rewarding aspect of working, period. I get emails from people every day telling me how my work has affected them and this is simply wonderful to me.

I am also extremely proud that I have the trust and friendship of some of the most respected people in design in North America: Michael Bierut, Paula Scher, Stefan Sagmeister, Debbie Millman, Steve Heller, Rick Valicenti, Jessica Helfand, Bill Drenttel, Doyald Young, Sean Adams, Noreen Morioka, Ellen Lupton … all of these people and more have been incredibly kind and welcoming to me as a newcomer into their community. They’ve given me a huge amount of support.

Q: Do you feel different when there’s a bigger client involved ?

Yes. I am more nervous, and sometimes the money gets in the way of making really good work. I like the money, but I wish I could ignore it more than I do.

Q: What comes first ? Family or work ?

Work. I don’t have a family.

Q: What motivates you to design ?

I really enjoy figuring things out. Some people call this “problem solving” but it’s not a term I care for. In fact, I really like complexity so I often start with creating problems that I then have to figure out how to “solve”. That’s not really solving anything, but the mental exercise is stimulating. Ideally I end up with something that has an “Aha!” moment for both myself and the viewer.

Q: In your own words, what is design ?

Figuring things out.

Q: Well, thank you for this interview! Any final words or upcoming projects you’d like to tell us about ?

Thanks! I’m going to be taking a few months off (mostly, though there are some people I never say No to, and I’m often tempted by very interesting projects) to rejuvenate my brain and work on some of my own projects which have been languishing at the bottom of my list for over a year. I need to redefine my direction and solidify my interests. I find that people are often not willing to take a leap with me into the unknown, so I’m going to do the leaping and hopefully the paying clients will follow.